Bill Zonnon, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2025 NHL Draft, spoke about the importance of representation in hockey during the team's Black History Game. The Montreal native, whose parents immigrated from Togo, drew inspiration from P.K. Subban and has already engaged with young players at a community camp. Zonnon aims to make an impact both on and off the ice as he develops his career.
Bill Zonnon, a forward from Montreal, was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with one of their three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. Boko Imama, another Montreal native, expressed his excitement about the selection by texting Special Assistant to the President of Hockey Operations and GM Trevor Daley. Imama noted Zonnon's positive character after he attended a hockey camp hosted by Imama and Anthony Duclair in Quebec. The camp, started during the pandemic amid Black Lives Matter protests, invites guests to share stories with kids. Zonnon spent nearly two hours there, joined the kids on the ice, took pictures, and engaged fully, according to Imama.
During SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Unobstructed Views altcast for the Penguins' annual Black History Game, Zonnon discussed representation. “I think for me as a kid, it was huge just seeing those guys playing at the highest level and just being themselves and having an impact on kids like me,” he said. “And it's pretty crazy to think that now I can be one of those guys as well. So, I take a lot of pride in that. Just be myself, be a good role model for all those kids.”
Zonnon's parents, Augustin and Mathilde, immigrated from Togo to Canada for college and started a family. They knew little about hockey initially but supported Bill's interest, which began at age five or six while watching P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens. His family emphasizes hard work; Augustin is a quality control manager for a concrete company, and Mathilde is a senior cash analyst at a bank. “I have so much love for them. You know, I'm here because of them,” Zonnon said. “They went through so much to be in a position they are in today.”
Zonnon moved to Lake Placid at 14 to play at Norwood School, then joined the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, where he recorded 83 points (28 goals, 55 assists) in 64 games during his third season. Before the draft in Los Angeles, he met Subban, who praised Zonnon's family and compete level. Subban founded the P.K. Subban Foundation in 2014, committing $10 million to the Montreal Children’s Hospital, the largest such pledge by a Canadian pro athlete.
Traded to Blainville-Boisbriand before the draft, Zonnon missed the Prospects Challenge and dealt with a November injury. Now healthy, the self-described power forward has 10 goals and 31 points in 25 games, focusing on a complete game and improving his skating with a posturologist. “At the end of the day, I think I got drafted in the first round for a reason,” he said. “I have the talent, I have the skill, I have the mindset to be a good player.”
